Operation Rebirth
by thisismysweetescape4
Summary: When the Wizarding World is down on population, the Ministry initiates Operation Rebirth. How will this new law affect one Hermione Granger? Will it be the worst thing that could ever happen to her? Or could it just be the push that she needed to set her love life in motion? AU. Written for my friend: variyamalfoy. Please read and review!
1. Prologue

**Here's a Dramione fic for you. :) I started writing this a few months ago for my friend Variya :) I never completed it, but hopefully, by putting it here, I'll hopefully have the drive to finish it. So anyways, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer-I don't own Harry Potter OR any of the characters**

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**Operation Rebirth **

**Prologue **

"We have a problem Minerva" came a voice from behind her. She sat down and put her head between her knees, to try and relieve the dizziness.

"You know what we have to do." the voice spoke again. Minerva turned her head to the voice.

"Of _course_ I know what we have to do!" Minerva hissed back at him. "But don't you know what this means?"

"Of _course_ I know what this means, but we don't have a choice. The entire wizarding population depends on this." Minerva shook her head. What could she do? Her hands were tied. If she said no, she would virtually exterminate the _entire_ wizarding population. But if she said yes, she might still be able to save the beloved way of life that she had become so familiar with.

"Minerva? We're running out of time! I need your decision _now_." the voice boomed again. She sighed.

"This isn't what Albus would have wanted Kingsley." Kingsley stopped and sighed a low and long sigh.

"I know Minerva. But we have no choice. This _has_to be done." he told her. Minerva sighed and stood up. She knew what had to be done.

"Alright" she said reluctantly. The other man nodded his head and whistled. All of a sudden, an owl swooped down from the roof and into the room. The man quickly scribbled something on a piece of parchment, tied to the owl's leg and sent it off. He turned to Minerva and said with a firm conviction:

"It is done. Operation Rebirth is now in effect."

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**Thoughts? Please review!**


	2. Chapter 1

**So here's the first official chapter :) Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer-I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters**

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**Chapter 1**

"Can I have your attention please everyone?" I stopped talking to friend beside me, Ginny Potter, and turned to face the voice that had summoned me here. Hi. My name is Hermione Granger. I'm a witch. I work here, at the Ministry of Magic, under the Department for the Control and Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures where I am currently working to try and improve the living and work standards of House Elves. They deserve to be treated with equality too you know! I'm also a Muggle-Born, but no-one ever really bugs me about it anymore, ever since the war, people have realized how important it is to treat everybody equally, no matter what their heritage was. Well, everybody except a certain group. The Purebloods. Even after the war, they _still_ think that they're better than everyone else. When will they learn?

"Thank you. Now, first and foremost. Welcome to the Ministry of Magic." the voice boomed. We still stayed silent.

"As Minister for Magic, I would like to say that I, Kingsley Shacklebolt, am very proud to be leading the wizarding community of this country." We all started to applaud, but I didn't understand why he had to introduce himself, we knew who he was, we voted for him didn't we. For God's sake, Ginny and I knew him personally!

"But, I'm afraid that I'm the bearer of bad news." All of a sudden, the crowd started to panic. People were screaming, gossiping and the beginnings of a riot were happening. I felt a ripple of fear shoot down my spine. What did he mean "bad news"? Surely not _another_ war, we were still recovering from the _last_ one! He of _all_ people should now how hard that was.

"As you know, ever since the war, the wizarding population has severely dropped." A sudden silence fell over the hall once more, as people remembered their fallen loved ones. I looked over at Ginny and saw a tear fall from her face. She must've been thinking about her brother; Fred, who died in the Battle at Hogwarts, defending Harry Potter, her own husband. I knew that she loved him, but I guess that she felt some sort of guilt that she married the man that Fred died to protect. I turned away and felt my own tears drip down my face as I remembered my own fallen friends; Remus, Tonks, I even missed Colin a little bit. But the one that hurt me the most of all, was Ron. He didn't die at the battle, but a few months later, due to some injuries from the battle that never healed. I still remember his last words to me:

"'Mione. I love you." Then he closed his eyes for the last time, then he was gone. A part of me died when he did, like he took part of my soul with him. Most people think that I'm just being overly dramatic. But they don't understand. They don't know what I know, they haven't seen what I've seen and they hadn't felt what I felt for Ron. There hadn't been anybody else since Ron. And I planned on keeping it this way.

"I'm sad to say that the wizarding population is going to become extinct." the crowd started to panic again. Couples started kissing each other as if they would never see each other again, little children under the age of 5 were being carried by their mothers and held tightly to their chests without the faintest idea why. I started to panic too, I looked at Ginny again and she had her hands wrapped protectively over her stomach, she was 7 months pregnant. What was to become of her and her family? But, besides her, I wondered what was to happen to me? I still hadn't found my family in Australia, and I didn't know whether or not I would _ever_ find them, it had been so long. The closest family I had were Harry and Ginny, but I had been spending less and less time with them because of work and they were always together. Not that I minded, I knew what it was like to be in a serious relationship, but sometimes I wished that we could just go out like we used too. Back when the world made sense, then again, I can't really think of a time when the world _ever_ made sense.

"However, I have a solution." _that_ got my attention. I snapped my head back up to look at the minister. All around me, I could feel my fellow witches and wizards turn their heads and the hall felt silence once more.

"I'm not an expert on this subject, so I'm going to bring a person who _is_." he stated, then he turned his head away from the crowd and made a motion to come forward into the darkness. Who was he bringing? The leader of the department of Department of Magical Law Enforcement? But how could he help bring the population back up to normal standards? Or would it be the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes? I guess you could call it a catastrophe. But I was wrong on _both_ accounts. It wasn't a man that walked out like I expected, but it was a woman. She had beautiful emerald green robes, a pointed hat and a _very_ prim and solemn expression. She wore square spectacles and has beautiful silver hair tied up in a bun. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"This is Minerva McGonagall. The current headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was the person who developed this idea along with her mentor and friend, the late, great, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. She will explain _exactly_ what this solution is." as Professor McGonagall took the stage, there was a quick round of applause. Ginny and I applauded as well; Professor McGonagall was a _much_ respected witch in the wizarding community, and she was a _great_ teacher. All the students at Hogwarts are _very_ lucky to have here.

"Thank you Minister." Professor McGonagall nodded and turned back to face the crowd that stood before her.

"This idea to help repopulate the wizarding community should its population ever drop to epidemic numbers was founded by Albus Dumbledore himself. I just helped him develop the idea, just as Minister Shacklebolt just mentioned, and since his death, I have been the main person behind it, for security reasons, this plan was given a codename, in case it was ever mentioned in public and Voldemort's followers were listening." A few people shuddered at that name. I was used to it though, after travelling for months on end, hearing it multiple times a day, you sort of get used to it.

"Operation Rebirth, was designed by Dumbledore himself to protect the wizarding community from ever becoming extinct." Operation Rebirth. I liked the sound of that name. Professor McGonagall then waved her wand and a scroll came from the back of the hall to where she was standing. She made a flick with her wand, and the scroll unrolled itself.

"This is the final draft of Operation Rebirth." Professor McGonagall explained. She turned back to face the scroll and began to read.

"Operation Rebirth is a plan that initiates a new law, stating that all unmarried women starting from the age of 18-25 are required to get married and have at least one child." There was a moment of shock, where the entire crowd was silent. Then it hit, utter chaos ensued. Women and men were screaming, gasping, fainting and some even started to from a riot. I turned and saw Ginny sigh a sigh of relief and hug her stomach closer to her. She didn't have to worry. I turned away from her and looked down. It was with a horror that I realized what was to happen to me.

I was 25 years old. The final age for eligibility. Which meant one thing.

I had to get married.

I felt my body tremble. Get married? I was only 25 years old! I had planned on having a stable career first! It felt like I was going to have an arranged marriage! Then I realized, it _was_ the same as having an arranged marriage. What was I going to do? I didn't feel anything for anyone. Not since Ron. I heard Professor McGonagall clap her hands which called the attention of the angry crowd.

"I realize that this comes a shock and is probably most horrific to most of you." The crowd started up again. I didn't join in with the screaming but I nodded. Of _course_ it was horrifying to me! I had to _get married_ for goodness sakes!

"But don't worry. Minister Shacklebolt and I have devised a system that will make sure that you are happy with your spouse." a few people started to nod. But then I realized, did that mean that we wouldn't _choose_ our spouse? Thankfully, I wasn't the only person who thought of this problem.

"We don't get to _choose_ our spouse?" came an outraged voice from the back of the crowd. I turned around to try and see who was it that shouted, but everybody else turned their heads at the same time, so I couldn't get a good look at the person. After a pause, the whole hall erupted into chaos. Some started swearing, some started casting spells into the ground and into the walls, which were automatically repaired by the repairing charm. Professor McGonagall clapped her hands once more and got the attention of the crowd.

"I'm sorry, but we need to start re-population right away. So we've come up with a fool-proof way of making sure you are happy with your spouse." repeated Professor McGonagall. I still didn't sound convinced, and by the sound of what the rest of the crowd was murmuring, they weren't either.

"Let me explain how this system works exactly. As you all know, when you stepped into the Ministry today, you had to give some blood." the crowd nodded. I looked down at my own arm that had a cotton bud with a piece of tape over it. What did that have to do with anything?

"Your blood was taken and it was placed into a device that stated who was the best possible choice to be your spouse." people started to nod their heads. I did too, at least there was _some_ kind of explanation for why we had to have our blood taken.

"What if this _device_ is wrong?" shouted another voice, this time, coming from the more frontal part of the crowd. People began to murmur again. I thought about it. How could some _machine_ say whether or not love could be found between two people?

"This device has been tested within the Ministry for years. It has _never_ been wrong." replied Professor McGonagall.

"Now, once I read out your names, please follow the guards toward the exit signs to your left, and they will direct to your adviser who will help you and your spouse prepare for your marriage." she motioned to the guards on her right, and drew another scroll from the darkness. She unfolded the scroll and started to read out our names.

"Abbott, Hannah and Goldstein, Anthony." she called out. Hannah and Anthony stepped forward. I was shocked! They looked so different from the last time I saw them. Hannah had grown her hair out. It looked so pretty! It was long and blonde and fell in waves around her ears. Anthony looked really different too! He had cropped his hair short and he had started to build up his muscles. But their reaction was the strangest thing. As soon as they saw each other, they ran into each other's arms and embraced each other as if they were each other's life line. They exchanged a few words and walked off to the guards, arm in arm. Professor McGonagall nodded and turned back to face us.

"As you can see, I'm sure that you will be very pleased with your results." she stated, then she turned back to the list and started reading off more names. Every couple she read, they looked as if they had found their soul mates. And as I started to see more and more couples, I started to believe it. I had just heard another happy couple when I heard my name called.

"Granger, Hermione" but she stopped there. I saw her re-read my name over and over again, but she never said another name. People started to look around and point and whisper. I began to feel nervous again, why didn't she read out any other name? What was wrong? _Was_ there another name? Was I really not compatible with any other wizard in Britain? I looked up again and saw her turn back to Kingsley and exchange a few words. They spoke fast, but I cast a hearing improving charm in my mind to try and hear what they were saying. I only caught the ending of their conversation.

"This can't be right Kingsley." she exclaimed. Worry shot through me. What couldn't be right? Was the person dead? No, they only checked my blood against _live_ wizards.

"The system has never been wrong Minerva. If the system says that he's the one. Then he's the one." he replied.

"But, they're just _not compatible_ Kingsley! I taught them myself! They hate each other!" she hissed. I hated him? She had taught us both? Who _was_ this person?

"Minerva, you have to say his name _now_. The people are getting edgy." he urged her. She sighed and turned back to face the audience. I quickly cast off the hearing charm and faced her again. She had such a look of disbelief on her face. Who was this person? Was it Terry Boot? That snotty, annoying Ravenclaw from years before? I_ really_ didn't like him, even when we _did_ let him in the DA. But still, he fought against Voldemort. Anybody that didn't like Voldemort could be that bad could they? I ran through a list of names of people that I didn't like but we could still be compatible. All those people had either been read of the list or had died at the Battle of Hogwarts! But still, nothing could have prepared me for the name that she read out.

"Malfoy, Draco"

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**Review please! **


	3. Chapter 2

**Thank you to all the people who've read this and favorited it :) I'm glad that you like it. So I present to you, Chapter two!**

**Disclaimer-I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters**

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**Chapter 2**

"Hermione? Hermione wake up!" I heard a voice from over my head; I opened my eyes and saw Ginny's worried face above me. I also saw Professor McGonagall over me as well. She must have apparated from the platform to where I was.

"What happened?" I asked them? They looked at each other nervously and back at me.

"You fainted 'Mione. Don't you remember?" Ginny told me. I fainted? When? I tried to recall from my memory, but I just didn't remember. And then it hit me, Professor McGonagall had announced who my husband was to be.

Draco Malfoy.

"Ms. Granger are you all right?" Professor McGonagall asked me. I could see that she really was worried about me. Everything made sense now! Professor McGonagall was right, we _weren't _compatible. But how had their system come up with the conclusion that we could love each other? I didn't know, but I didn't want to cause a major scene. Then again, I guess I had already caused one, what with my fainting.

"Yeah, I'm ok." I replied. I could tell that they still didn't believe me, so I tried to right myself. As soon as I tried to move, I felt my head start to feel dizzy of all a sudden, and I slumped back down.

"She must've hit her head pretty hard Professor McGonagall." Ginny said.

"I'm still here you know Ginny." I reminded here. She looked down and blushed, embarrassed that I had to remind her, and I was the victim!

"Sorry Hermione." she apologized to me. If I wasn't in such a serious situation, I would've laughed. I loved Ginny like that, but I could see that she thought I had really offended her.

"It's alright Ginny." I assured her. She sighed with relief when she found out I wasn't mad.

"Just help me up." I asked. She nodded as she helped to pull me up off the cold, marble floor. I looked around and saw that the entire crowd was looking at me. I felt myself blush. This was _really _embarrassing.

"Ms. Granger, could you please walk towards the guards. I'll send Mr. Malfoy over in a few minutes." I nodded. I started to walk over to where the guards were. I could feel the crowd's stares bore into my back, but I kept my back straight and my chin high as I exited the main floor of the ministry. As I reached the guards, the opened the doors for me and ushered me out, out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of the guards give me an encouraging nod. I gave him a nod that showed my thanks. As soon as I was out of the main room, I walked towards the wall and completely broke down. I fell to the floor and the sobs came. I felt the tears roll down my face in a rush, a constant stream. I felt my legs buckle underneath me as I sank to the floor. I heard my own sobs echo throughout the corridor. I couldn't even think about anything, I just sat there and cried and cried. As I was crying, I heard the door open. I looked up and wanted to die.

Draco Malfoy

It was bad enough that he and I had to live with each other, but I didn't want him to see me weak. Ever since we were kids, I had sworn to myself that I would _never_, _ever_, let Draco Malfoy see me cry. It would just be another thing for him to add to his list for reasons to hate me. The look on his face was so horrible, it made me want to flinch. His face was a mix of hatred, disgust, revulsion and another emotion that I had no name for.

"Get up." he said to me. It felt like he had slapped me, only much more painful. I slowly lifted myself off the floor, dusted myself off and dried my eyes. I looked up and saw Draco standing there, looking at me, like I was retarded. He nodded at me then we started to walk down the corridor. None of us made a sound as we walked. I was thinking about what would happen next. We would have to get married of course, then what? Where would we live? What would happen next? Would we live together? That was stupid, of course we would. We would be married. Ugh, what a horrible thought, I Hermione Granger would have to _marry _Draco Malfoy. I was so deep in my thoughts that I had no idea that Draco had stopped walking, that I bumped straight into him.

"Jesus Granger!" he exclaimed as he righted himself. I looked down and saw him pull his arms back from around my waist. What were they doing there? They must have gotten mixed up when I bumped into him.

"Will you watch where you're going?" he scolded me. I kept my head down, too embarrassed to look at him. If he didn't think I was stupid before, I'm sure he thought I was now.

"You nearly knocked me over!" he continued. I looked back up at him, his eyes full of revulsion.

"Sorry" I mumbled. He snorted and turned back to face the wall, only it wasn't just a wall. I turned to face his direction and saw why he had stopped. There was a door with a sign that said "Department for Newlyweds under Operation Rebirth" and just under that, it said "Surnames from H-M". We both stared at the door. This was it, this was the place where we found out what was going to happen next.

"Well come on then!" an irritated voice said, jolting me out of my thoughts. It was Draco again. He opened the door and walked in. I took a deep breath and followed him inside.

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**Thoughts? Review please! **


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As we walked into the room, I was shocked at the size of the office. From the outside, it looked like any other office. But then again, this _was_ the wizarding world. You would think that after living in the wizarding world for 8 years, you would come to expect the unexpected. The office was so big and luxurious; you'd think it was a hotel. I looked around and saw dozens of happy couples sitting on couches snuggling together. Draco and I looked at each other and moved a step away. _They_ might be all lovey-dovey, but not us. We walked over to another room that said "Surnames with M", we looked at each other and walked in.

"Welcome!" came a voice behind the desk. There was a woman in beautiful aqua robes, and had flowing red hair, tucked neatly behind her ears. She had a pile of documents stacked neatly in a pile in front of her and had her hands folded on top of them. I knew her face from my time at Hogwarts, but Draco knew her face much better than I did since he saw her much more often than I did.

"Hello Daphne." Draco said formally. I nodded, it was Daphne Greengrass, the sister of Draco's old girlfriend; Astoria. Astoria and Draco almost married each other, but they called it off, Astoria claiming that Draco cheated on her. Draco denied it of course, but there was always some suspicion. Ever since then, Daphne and Draco stayed on speaking-if-necessary only terms. To me, she was polite enough, ever since the war, she had never insulted me or called me a mudblood, but we weren't chums. She used to work with me in the Department for the Control and Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, but she left a few weeks ago, most people in the department thought that she had been fired. To be perfectly honest, I thought she was too.

"Hello Draco." she replied stiffly, she turned to me and nodded. There was an awkward silence for a minute, then I cleared my throat.

"We came because of the new law." I prompted. Draco and Daphne didn't seem to notice me, they were too busy glaring at each other. I cleared my throat again which seemed to get Daphne's attention. She turned to face me again and re-composed her face.

"Of course. Please, sit down." she motion for Draco and I to sit down on 2 chairs that were placed directly opposite her. Draco and I looked at each other and nodded, as we moved to sit.

"So what do we do now Daphne?" I asked her, seeing as how there would be no communication between her and Draco, _someone_ had to do something.

"Well, first off, you guys need to get married. Do you want to have a ceremony?" she asked. I had to stop and think about that. Did I _want_ to have a ceremony?

"No. We're not having a ceremony. That will take too long and it's _much_ too expensive." Draco answered her quickly. Ok, so I guess we weren't having a ceremony then.

"Can't we just sign some papers or something Daphne?" Draco asked her. Daphne snapped her head back.

"It's Mrs. Macmillan to you." she snapped. I guess that she_ still_ didn't like him.

"Macmillan?" he asked. I sighed under my breath. At least I wasn't the only one who noticed what she said her last name was.

"Yes. Macmillan. Ernie and I have been married for 2 years now." Of course! Ernie Macmillan! He used to be a member of the DA at Hogwarts. I never knew that Daphne was married, I guess she didn't want anyone to know. _Why_ she didn't want anyone to know, I couldn't fathom.

"Oh. I didn't know. Congratulations." Draco replied. At least he was able to be civil about it.

"Thank you." she replied curtly.

"Now, let's get on with it shall we?" she asked. I nodded. She took the pieces of paper from her desk and gave them over to us. I looked them over and realized that they were marriage certificates.

"Just sign them and you two will be on your way." she told us. I took the quill from her desk, dipped in some ink and signed my name. I passed the certificate and quill to Draco and did the same. Then he handed it back to Daphne. When he handed it back to Daphne, I felt something drop in the pit of my stomach, but I wasn't sure what it was. I was still trying to figure out what it was as she took out her wand, waved it over them and then they vanished. She put her wand back in her robes and turned back to face us.

"You may leave now. The ministry will take care of anything important that you don't have to be present for." she finished. I nodded and stood up, Draco followed suit.

"Thank you Mrs. Macmillan." I thanked. She nodded as I opened the door and walked out. When I stepped out, it was like nothing had happened. The same couples were on the same couches, doing the same thing. Like nothing big had happened. It was at that moment that I realized nothing _had_ happened. Something big had only happened to _me_, and it was the fact that Draco and I had just been married. I wasn't Hermione Granger anymore, I was Hermione Malfoy. I felt myself stop in the middle of the room as Draco brushed past me. He seemed to notice that I wasn't moving and went back to try and help me.

"Are you coming or not?" he asked me. I looked up and saw him staring at me. I noticed something about his look. It wasn't that there was _no_ bitterness, but there was less. A lot less.

"Yeah. Yeah. Sorry." I replied. I straightened up and started to walk again. He stayed behind, checking to make sure that I wouldn't space out on him again. I didn't look back again as we walked to the door. It was only once we were out of the department did he tap me on the shoulder.

"So I guess this means that we have to move in together right?" he asked me. I had completely forgotten about that.

"Yeah, I guess. Do you want to move into my place or do you want me to move into yours?" I asked him.

"Let's move into your place." he replied.

"Alright then. When shall I expect you?" I asked him.

"Tomorrow. I don't have that many things anymore. Not since the war." He replied. He looked down, I guessed he was remembering the losses he suffered. Even if he was my greatest enemy, I sympathized for him; it must have been hard, claiming that you had gone back to side of good after everybody knew who you had worked with and what you had done.

"Alright then. What time?" I asked. I would need time to prepare the apartment. After all, I had only moved in a few days ago.

"Is around noon good to you?" he asked.

"Sure. I'll see you then. The address is Number 24 Garden Street, Flower Mansions, Apartment 7." I replied. He nodded.

"Make sure the apartment isn't a pigsty Hermione." he added gruffly as he turned around and disapparated. I sighed, that was the Draco Malfoy I knew. Although one thing bugged me. I realized that that was the first time that he didn't call me Granger or Mudblood. Then again, I guess he couldn't really call me Granger anymore. I shuddered at the thought as I disapparated out of the ministry and back to my apartment.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I woke with a start the next morning. I shot up from my bed and took a deep breathe. I had a horrible nightmare. I dreamt that Draco and I got _married_. I was about to laugh at the absurdness of it all when I realized that it _wasn't _a dream as the previous days events flooded back into my mind. I was Mrs. Draco Malfoy. I shuddered at the very thought as I climbed out of bed and slid into my slippers. I sat on my bed, realizing that Draco would be coming over today. And not just to visit, but to _live _here. I sighed, realizing that I would have to fix up the place a little bit. I grabbed my wand off my bedside table and saw that the clock read 9:00. I quickly muttered a spell to make my bed. Then I placed a charm on the bed and the sheets to make them big enough for Draco and I. Draco and I, how strange. Never in my entire life did I think that our names would be paired like that. I shook my head and walked over to my closet to change. I put on one of my more sophisticated outfits; a beige blouse, a pair of faded jeans and a pair of black ballet flats. Satisfied with my outfit, I tidied up the rest of the house, starting with my bedroom, then the bathroom.

Once I was done, I moved over the living room and the kitchen area. I spent the whole morning cleaning up the apartment and making sure that it was spotless for Draco's arrival. When I was done, I quickly disapparated to a shop next to the apartment building and bought lunch, then I went back to the apartment and set up lunch. After that, I had realized that I was rushing around so much, that it was only 11:00. I still had another hour before Draco arrived. Maybe I forgot something. I then went around the entire apartment, trying to go slowly as I possibly could to try and kill time, checking if I had forgotten anything. I hadn't. I checked the time again and say that it was only 11:30. I was getting a little frustrated with myself. What was I going to do? I tried to rack my brain to figure out what I could do. And then it hit me! Of course! Read a book! That's what I always do! I slapped my head when I realized how stupid I was. I walked over to my bookshelf and picked one of my favorites; Romeo and Juliet. I absolutely loved this book! I turned to my favorite spot, sat down on my couch and started reading. As soon as I read those first few words of Shakespeare, I was lost. I always felt better when I read this book. I was reading one of my favorite passages from Act II, Scene II, Shakespeare's famous balcony scene

"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse thy name;

Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love

And I'll no longer be a Capulet"

I was so engrossed in reading that I didn't realize that someone was knocking on my door. I put my book down and walked over to the front door. I opened it and gasped. It was Draco. I had completely forgotten that he was coming! I looked him over and saw that he was wearing a simple polo shirt with a jacket, jeans and black leather shoes.

"Hi Hermione." he greeted me. I looked behind him and saw that he had one piece of luggage with him.

"Hi Draco. Won't you come in?" I replied as I invited him in. He nodded his thanks as he stepped inside. I took his coat, hung it up and led him into the living room.

"So this is the living room." I told him. Thank you for pointing that out captain obvious! I wanted to hit myself, what was wrong with me? Draco didn't seem to care, he just listened to me.

"The kitchen's to your left and the bedroom is to your right. Behind you is the dining table." I continued. He nodded, looking around the apartment. We stood there awkwardly for a few minutes when I remembered that he still had his suitcase.

"Oh! Let me take your suitcase!" I asked. He stepped aside to let me get it. He must have thought that I was such as bad hostess!

"Sorry. I'll be back in a minute." I told him, as I wheeled his suitcase to the bedroom. Once I was in the bedroom, I shut the door and quickly pushed the suitcase under my bed. I went to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror.

"What kind of a hostess are you Hermione?" I reprimanded myself.

"The man is supposed to be your husband you forget to take his bag?" I continued, I turned the tap on and began to wet my hands.

"Are you stupid or something?" I asked myself as I wet my face with the water. It felt cool and refreshing against my skin. It was at that moment that I realized that I was blushing that whole time.

"Oh God." I sighed as I sank to the floor. He must thought that I was mentally retarded. I sat there for a while, pondering what he thought of me, until I realized that he was still outside. I rushed up, dried my face, fixed my hair and ran out to the living room.

"Sorry I took so long Draco!" I apologized. I looked up and saw that he was just sitting on the couch calmly. What shocked me even more was that he was reading my copy of Romeo and Juliet! Draco Malfoy reading _Shakespeare_?

"It's alright Hermione." he assured me. I sighed. At least he didn't think I was retarded.

"I was just reading your copy of Romeo and Juliet, I hope you don't mind." he continued. I nodded, where was he going with this?

"It's just that I love Shakespeare. Ever since Hogwarts. I just made sure that I was never caught reading it. I had a reputation you know." I nodded. Lord knew that he had a reputation.

"Ah, Romeo and Juliet is my favorite." he told me.

"Really? Mine too!" I replied. Wow. Who knew we had something in common?

"That's cool." he said. There was a pause, then he broke the silence.

"I've memorized passages from the play you know." he told me. Wow. Draco Malfoy, pureblood wizard, had memorized passages from a _muggle _play?

"'But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east; and Juliet is the Sun.

Arise fair sun, and kill off the envious moon,

Who is already sick and pale with grief

That thou art made art far more fair than she

But be not her made for she is envious

Her vestal livery is but sick and green and none but fools do wear it; cast it off.;" he recited. I was shocked. Shocked was an understatement. I was mind-boggled. I knew that passage off by heart, and standing right in front me, Draco Malfoy had recited it word for word and with feeling! He looked at me from under his hair, as if looking for my approval.

"Wow. That was amazing Draco." I told him. And I wasn't lying. It truly was.

"Thanks Hermione." he replied graciously, as he walked over to my bookshelf and put my copy away. Then he turned back to face me. We stood there for a few minutes just staring at each other. I, at how someone like him could have memorized something so romantic like Shakespeare. I hadn't the faintest idea why he was staring at me.

"Want to have lunch?" I asked him finally. He seemed to have snapped out of some kind of trance when I spoke to him. He nodded.

"Sure. That sounds great." he replied, as we walked over to the kitchen. As we were walking, I tried to hold back, but I couldn't help myself.

"Draco?" I asked him.

"Hmm?" he asked back.

"Where did you read Romeo and Juliet? And where did you learn how to speak with such feeling?" I asked. He turned around to face and me, and very seriously replied.

"I read. Aloud." he smiled, took my hand and led me to my-no, _our _kitchen.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As Draco led me into the kitchen, he twirled me around, pulled me in for a dip and spun me back out.

"Whoa! Draco!" I exclaimed as he finally stopped.

"Where did you learn to dance like that?" I asked him, nearly breathless from our little dance. He was laughing at me.

"I am not allowed to learn how to dance?" he asked me. I had never thought of that.

"No." I told him

"It's just that I never pictured you as the dancing type. That's all." I finished. He laughed again and replied

"There's a lot you don't know about me Hermione." that was chilling. I wonder what else I didn't know. I smiled and went to go get the food I had bought for lunch. I had always liked cooking, even when I was at Hogwarts. A part of me was a little jealous at the fact that the students at Hogwarts had the chance to learn cooking with magic. I knew that because Harry's children were taking that course.

"So what's for lunch Hermione?" Draco asked me. I spun around and smiled at him.

"We're going to have chicken with rice." I told him. I hoped he liked it. Then again, how could you not like chicken with rice.

"That's my favorite!" he told me.

"Really? Mine too!" I told him. Oh well, at least I knew what food to cook and buy. I took the food out of my freezer, quickly placed a heating charm on the food and levitated it towards the table and dropped them down in front of Draco's place and my place.

"Dig in." I encouraged him. He turned to his food and began to eat. I smiled as I slipped into my seat and began to eat as well. As soon as the food was in my mouth, I realized how hungry I was. I began shoveling food into my mouth. Fixing up your apartment twice and worrying alot makes you hungry is what I discovered. While I was eating, I peeked up at Draco every once in a while to try and read his emotions, but he always had a poker face, so I never got anything. After a while, Draco broke the silence and cleared his throat.

"So how've you been lately Hermione?" he asked me. I looked back up. I was about to open my mouth to reply. Why did he care?

"Hermione?" he prompted me. I sighed, well, I had to tell him something.

"I've been ok. I just moved in here a couple of days ago." I began. I paused for a second to see if Draco was just asking to be polite; but he looked genuinely interested.

"I moved here because I wanted to move away from where I grew up because there were just too many painful memories you know?" I asked. I looked from under my eyes and saw that Draco was nodding.

"I decided to rent the house that Ron and I had bought." I felt my voice break when I said that. Ron had always been a touchy subject for me. It was only after the words escaped my mouth did I realize what I had said. I couldn't believe it! I just talked about my dead fiancé in front of my _husband_! Would my stupidity never end? I looked down in embarrassment. I felt tears begin to pool at the corners of my eyes as I tried to fight them back. I quickly rubbed them away with my hand and took a deep breath. I didn't like anyone seeing my cry, even my close friends.

"I'm sorry for your lose Hermione." he told me meaningfully. I looked back up to see Draco looking at me with sincerity and concern in his eyes. He took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. I smiled to thank him; I never thought he would really care.

"Thank you Draco." I told him. He smiled at me.

"It's no problem Hermione. It's what I'm here for." he told me.

"Draco? Can I ask you something?" I asked him. He gripped my hand tighter and told me

"Hermione. We're _married_ now. You can ask and tell me _anything_. You should know that." he sounded so sincere, I had to ask him.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked. He seemed to have been expecting that question. He withdrew his hand and took a deep breath. After a few moments, he sighed, took my hand again and looked back up at me.

"We're married now." he began. I nodded; he had made that point very clear. Where was he going with it?

"And, last night. I realized that you're the only person I have now. I don't want to mess up the only relationship I have." he continued. I nodded like I had expected that. On the inside though, I was shocked. The Draco I knew from school was one of the most popular boys in school.

"And I really _do_ like you Hermione." he finished. I snapped my head up. Draco Malfoy, pureblood _extraordinaire_ liked _me_? Hermione Granger? A mudblood? I spent time pondering this new discovery. I didn't know how long I thought about it, but long enough for Draco to have to clear his throat to get my attention.

"So what do you want to do now?" he asked me. I paused; I hadn't been out in the streets lately. It might be nice to go out again.

"Do you want to go out in London?" I asked him.

"Sure." he replied. I smiled at him and nodded. I walked over to get our coats near the door. I walked back to the living room where Draco was waiting. I handed him his coat then he slowly put it on. When I turned to put my coat on, I felt him behind me.

"Here, let me help you with that." he offered. I let my arms go slack as he slipped the coat over me. I turned around and saw that his face was an inch away from mine. I stared into his eyes for a moment, then he dropped his gaze and moved back. I took out my wand and quickly flicked it to lock the door. He took my hand as we disapparated out of my apartment and into the busy streets of London.


	7. Chapter 6

**Hello everyone! I'm sorry that it took me really long to get this chapter up, but it's just that I kind of lost the flow of this story, but I think I've found it again :) So thanks for being patient. So here it is, Chapter 6!**

**Disclaimer-I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters**

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**Chapter 6**

I felt my feet hit the ground as we arrived on the streets of London. I breathed in the fresh air and sighed. I hadn't been outside in a while. I looked around me, there was colour and beauty everywhere I looked. Coming out here felt like I had been blind for the past few weeks. I looked back and saw that Draco was staring at me with a twinkle in his eye. He must have thought that I looked like a 5 year old; I didn't really care. I looked down and saw that we were still holding hands. I looked back up at him and he squeezed it harder, I smiled back at him and squeezed his hand. We laughed as he pulled me towards the busy streets.

"So what do you want to do now?" he asked me. I paused to think about it. What _did_ I want to do?

"Do you want to go to a-a-a what's it called again? It's that thing that muggles go to buy things that have a lot of stores?" I laughed at him.

"Do you mean a mall Draco?" I couldn't believe that he didn't know what a mall was. He just hung his head in mock shame.

"No thanks." I told him.

"I was never a shopper." I continued.

"Really? I thought all girls liked to shop." he told me. I sighed. Damn stereotypes were affecting everybody, witches and muggles alike.

"Nah. The only thing I like to shop for are books." I told him.

"Well, are there any bookstores that you want to go to?" he asked me. I paused about if for a second, then shook my head.

"None really jump to mind. If I remember any I'll be sure to tell you." he nodded and took my hand again as we continued our journey. Every so often, he pointed to something and asked me what it was and I would explain it to him. He seemed to be taking in every piece of information that I was telling him. To be honest, I was still shocked at the fact that Draco actually _liked_ me. Maybe us getting married wasn't such a bad idea after all. I shook my head as soon as the thought entered my head. I couldn't let my guard down. This was _Draco Malfoy_, the same Draco Malfoy who made my life a living hell when I was in Hogwarts. The person who wad teased me and called a mudblood my entire school life. Then again, we were _married _now, I couldn't leave him. The Wizenagemot kept a record of all the couples who were married under the new law, we couldn't leave each other until at least 2 years had passed.

"Oh look! Waterstone's!" I shouted, unable to keep myself from blurting it out. I loved Waterstone's. It was probably my favorite place in Muggle London. I could walk in there and get lost in an entirely different world. When Ron passed, Harry and Ginny used to take me there to get me back in the world.

"Would you like to go?" Draco asked. I nodded enthusiastically, I couldn't help myself; I hadn't been to a Waterstone's ever since I got promoted at work.

"Alright then." Draco said as I ran towards the store.

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Once I walked in the store, I took a deep breath; the store had a very distinct smell that I loved, it made me feel warm and cozy inside. It was my safe place.

"So where do you want to go Hermione?" Draco asked me, coming from behind. My mind was blank, I had forgotten how big this place was. There were so many different places to go to.

"I think I'll head to the classics section." I decided finally, walking to the elevator, Draco walking behind me. I quickly pressed the button to the top floor and waited.

"So why the classics?" Draco asked, as we stood in the elevator.

"Because, the classics are just the best. The language, the message, the content. They're just the best of the best. That's why they're classics! They've stood the test of time and they teach people moral lessons." I told him as the door opened. I stepped out and took a deep breath; I could smell the pages of the old books and I could sense that no one was here. It was just Draco and I.

"OK, _now _I get why the classics." he whispered in my ear. I turned around and giggled. He had a starry eyed look on his face; as if he had just discovered a brand new world.

"I told you. Isn't it amazing?" I asked, turning back to face the dozens of shelves in front of me.

"Where do I _start_?" I heard Draco mutter to himself. I laughed at him, thought about his question for a minute, then took his hand.

"Where are we going?" he asked me. I didn't look back

"Just trust me." I told him as I continued to lead him. After a minute, I led him to a corner where there were hundreds and hundreds of books and a few comfy looking chairs. Another thing that I loved about each floor was that they would decorate it depending on the floor. So this floor had very old looking chairs and ancient looking architecture. It made me feel like I really _had _stepped into another world.

"Shakespeare." I told him confidently. I knew this bookstore like the back of my hand, but this floor was particularly special for me because I would always come here and spend hours and hours just sitting on one of those chairs , going back to a time where girls were still treated as ladies.

"What will you read?" he asked, still seeming unsure where to go. I thought about it for a minute, then quickly headed to a book that I loved and knew virtually off by heart.

"Romeo and Juliet. What else?" I told him as I quickly grabbed the copy that I would always use. It was my favorite one because the way it was bound made it look like it was from the Shakespearean times and it smelled just like a papyrus scroll that you could buy in Diagon Alley.

"You don't need any footnotes?" he asked me as I settled into my favorite chair. I shook my head.

"Not really. I've read it so many times, I know what it means. And besides, the notes I wrote on it the first time I read it are still here." I told him, opening the book to pages where I had made annotations.

"You're allowed to do that?" he asked in disbelief. I blushed, I had forgotten to tell him.

"Well, not exactly. You see, when I first moved out here, I didn't really have that much money, and when I saw this version of the book, I just fell in love with it, so I would come here every day after work to read it. After about a month of me doing that, the librarians told me that I could unofficially have it and that if anyone would show any interest in the book, they would tell them that it wasn't for sale. So I would come and make any notes or annotations that I thought made sense to me. I always told myself that I would come back to get it, but I would always get really busy with work that I forgot about it." I told him, staring at the floor. To be honest, I was a little embarrassed; the fact that I couldn't even buy a book? That was pitiful. What would he _think _of me? I looked up and saw that he was just staring at me, no judgement in his eyes, no pity, but something else. Something that I didn't know how to quite describe.

"Could we read it together?" he asked me. I was in shock. I had just told him one of my most embarrassing stories ever and he wanted to _read a book _with me?

"Who are you and what have you done with Draco Malfoy?" I asked him as I made space on the chair. He just laughed at me as he sat down next to me.

"Let's just say that I've finally grown up." he said as he settled in a comfortable position. I just shrugged, at least he wasn't being obnoxious and mean anymore.

"So where do you want go from?" I asked him. He paused for a moment, then answered.

"The party scene." I nodded and turned to the page. I let my hand run across the page and feel the paper. It had really been a long time. I put the book on both our laps so that we could both read it clearly. Draco cleared his throat before he began to read.

**Draco**: If I profane with my unworthiest hand

This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:

My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand

To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss

Draco took my hand, as if he had become Romeo. I felt an chill run through my hand. I never expected him to read this with as much passion as he had.

**Hermione**: Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much

Which mannerly devotion shows in this;

For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,

And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.

**Draco**: Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?

**Hermione**: Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

**Draco**: O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;

They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

**Hermione**: Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.

**Draco**: Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.

As Draco finished saying this, he slowly leaned in for a kiss. I was amazed; Draco was an _amazing _kisser. I never knew that he would be good at this. He was soft and gentle, his lips were soft and smooth, not chapped like Ron's could be at times. There was something else. Something that I would have never expected to have with Draco Malfoy.

It was chemistry.

After a moment, he pulled away, an ecstatic look in his eye. It was as if he had been waiting a long time to do that. We sat there for a minute, just gazing into each others' eyes. Then I heard my stomach rumble, signaling that it was around dinner time. We laughed as he took my hand and led me to the elevator and down to the restaurant.

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**What did you think? Please review! **


	8. Chapter 7

**Hey everyone! I'm REALLY sorry about not getting this update faster, it's just that I kinda didn't really know what I was going to do. So I'm warning you know, this chapter is really a filler chapter. The NEXT will be a little fluffier :) Again, I'm REALLY sorry for not updating this sooner; I've just been really busy. I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can, but since school is starting again, I don't know how soon that'll be, but I'll try not to leave it for to long :) So anyways, here is Chapter 7! Enjoy! :) **

**Disclaimer-I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters.**

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When we got to the restaurant, we were immediately directed to the best table they had. When we got there, Draco pulled my chair out for me, like we really had come from the time of Romeo and Juliet. I blushed at that gesture; it had been a long time since someone had done something gentlemanly for me.

"So how'd you manage to get us the best seat in the house? I mean, you just nodded at the guy then he just let us in!" I asked him, still wondering why that had happened. Draco just laughed at me.

"Let's just say, a little _magic _was involved." he winked at me. I just laughed at him, even outside of school, he was still the little troublemaker. After I was done laughing, a waiter came over and asked for our order.

"Ladies first?" Draco offered, I blushed; who _was _this Draco Malfoy? The Draco Malfoy I knew wouldn't have pulled my chair out for me. He wouldn't have offered for me to place my order first. And he most _certainly_ not would have _kissed _me.

"I think I'll have the rib-eye steak, medium rare." I told the waiter. I looked at Draco and saw that he raised an eyebrow, but he didn't say anything. When the waiter was done writing down my order, he turned to Draco.

"And you sir?" he asked.

"The same." he told us. The waiter nodded, jotted that down and took our menu's. Once he had collected all of them, he asked us

"Would you like a bottle of champagne or wine?" Draco and I looked at each other and shrugged. I tried to remember when was the last time I had a bottle of wine. I couldn't.

"Why not?" Draco asked, taking the wine menu from the stand and looking it over. After a few minutes, he put the menu back and beckoned the waiter next to him. He whispered something then the waiter nodded and headed off to the kitchen. When he turned back, he had a kind of smug look on his face.

"And what're you looking so smug about?" I asked him. He just laughed at me before he replied.

"Just wait. You'll see." he told me. After that, we sat together in silence for a little while. I looked up and saw him shifting in his seat and trying not to look at me. I could feel the awkwardness coming from him. To be honest, I was in the same situation. After years of taunts, insults and fights. We really just didn't know what to say to each other, and I didn't want it to be that way. Draco was my _husband _now, and I wanted us to have a healthy relationship, and that meant being able to talk to one another. So I took a deep breath and- against my better judgement-started talking to him.

"So Draco, tell me about you." I asked, trying to sound happy. It was a pretty general thing and conversation can flow pretty easily with that topic. He snapped his head up and looked at me, a look of confusion on his face. I felt my blood turn to ice; had I chosen a sour spot? I hoped not.

"What do you mean?" he asked. I swallowed, I had to be careful about what I said.

"Tell me about what life was like growing up for you? Stuff that you would do when you were bored. You know, what was it like growing up for you?" I asked. He seemed to relax after I told him that. He took a deep breath before starting.

"Well, before I went to school, my parent's spoiled me rotten. I was an only child you see, so whatever I pointed at, my parent's would get it. Lord knows they had the money to do it. But I guess you knew that already." he added laughing quietly to myself. I nodded. The Malfoy's were one of the richest Wizarding families in Britain and they would flout it _all the time_.

"When I was younger, my parent's would always tell me that I was better. Better because we had _pure blood_. By the age of 7, 'mudblood' was a word that I had implanted in my vocabulary. My dad used to tell me 'We're better Draco. _You're _better. Remember that. Remember that because it's the truth.' and because I was a foolish, ignorant, stupid boy, I believed him. I had no idea what I was saying, and because of that, it cost me a lot." he spat out bitterly. I nodded, looking back down. I didn't expect anything less from Draco's parents. They were purebloods. Most pureblood families were like that, families like Ron's were hard to find. I felt Draco take my hand and squeeze. I looked up again and saw that a tear was trickling down his face.

"I'm so sorry Hermione. I'm so sorry." he choked out. I was speechless. Draco Malfoy, was sitting in a restaurant and was crying in front of me. I had never seen anyone so vulnerable; and that was saying something, I had survived a war and saw my best friend tell me that he was going to let his greatest enemy kill him. I didn't really know what to say, so I just said the first thing that came to my mind.

"It's okay." I told him simply. He looked up at me with a look of disbelief. I just smiled; honestly, it _was _okay. It was years ago and he was like that because it was the way he had been brought up. Sure, he probably believed it when he older, but I think the war changed him. The war had changed us all. He smiled at me, gave my hand one more squeeze then pulled back. He didn't say anything, but I knew that in that one squeeze, he had said thank you. As soon as he finished wiping his eyes, the waiter came back with our champagne.

"Here you are sir." he said to Draco, uncorking the bottle and pouring some into our glasses. Draco seemed to be out of his funk as he tasted it, then nodded for the waiter to pour some more. When he was done, he put the bottle on the table then headed back to the kitchen.

"So can I see what the mystery drink is?" I asked him. He laughed at me and nodded. I quickly grabbed the bottle and turned around to see the label.

"Dom Pérignon?" I asked, shocked. Dom Pérignon was a _very _expensive brand of champagne. I looked at Draco and he just smiled at me. I was so flattered, nobody had ever done anything like this for me before.

"You know when Dom Pierre Pérignon discovered 'Come quickly! I am tasting the stars!'" I told him. He nodded, then he spoke

"I know something that taste's better than this though." I laughed at him

"What could possibly taste better than the stars?" I asked. He laughed before he looked at me with a sly look on his face and said

"Your lips" I felt myself blush as I heard Draco chuckle. I looked back up and saw that Draco was holding his glass up in a toast. I tilted my head as I did the same; what was he up to now?

"To our marriage." he said. Then it hit me again, we were married.

"To our marriage." I replied. He smiled as we clinked our glasses together and took a sip. The champagne tasted warm and smooth down my throat. I had only had champagne 3 times before in my life. The first was when I had turned seventeen; mum and dad threw me a celebration party, even though there was a war going on. The second was at Bill and Fleur's wedding, and the third was after the war, so I was still unsure about my limits when it came to alcohol so I made sure not to take that big of a sip. When I put the glass down, I saw Draco do the same. I looked at him and he just winked at me. I looked down and tried to stifle my laugh as the waiter brought our dinner. Thankfully, he didn't notice my cheeks turning bright scarlet.

"Thank you." Draco said as the waiter placed the dish in front of me. I risked a look at the waiter and nodded a thank you. He smiled at me and quickly walked away. As I quickly looked back down, I heard Draco start to chuckle. I looked up at him and saw he was holding his hand over his mouth.

"Eat your damn steak Draco." I muttered to him as I began to tuck in. I heard him let out a full on laugh before he did the same.

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**So what'd you think? Review please! :) **


	9. Chapter 8

**Hello all! I'm back! I'm ****_really _****sorry about this getting updated so late! I've just started school again, so I've been super busy, but I've ****_finally _****found time to update this. :D Also, I changed the layout of my plans for this chapter a little, I shall explain more at the end of this chapter. Anyways, I ****_really _****hope you like it because I've found the flow for this story again :) I'm sorry for advance if there are any grammar or spelling mistakes in this chapter. I just had so many ideas and they were all coming so fast and it was a bit hard of my fingers to keep up with my brain :P Anyways, I won't keep you from this chapter any longer. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or Harry Potter **

**WARNING! THIS CHAPTER HAS ANGST TRIGGERS! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. **

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**Chapter 8 **

Dinner turned out to be a very nice and relaxed event. We went back and forth talking about our interests and I discovered that Draco and I had similar interests. We both loved reading, we had the same taste in music and musicals and we both liked the same food. I also discovered some things about Draco that I never would've guessed would be true.

"I can play guitar and piano." he mumbled. That was probably the most shocking revelation that evening. I sat there with my mouth gaping open for about 2 minutes. It was only until he started laughing did I realize how idiotic I looked.

"Can you sing?" I asked him. At this question, his cheeks turned a shade of pink before he mumbled his answer.

"A little."

"Will you sing for me?" I asked him excitedly, bouncing up and down in my seat. Draco just laughed at me as he shook his head.

"Maybe. If I'm drunk enough." then we laughed together. All too soon, dinner and dessert had ended. Draco also discovered some things about me that I don't think he _ever _would have guessed.

"I used to cut myself." I whispered to him quietly, looking down at my feet. I had never told anyone about that. Not even Ron. I looked up at him and saw that he was looking at me with shock plastered all over his face.

"When?" he asked softly. I took a deep breath before answering him.

"It was during our third year. I was taking so many subjects that year and all the pressure and work overwhelmed me. I just felt like I was trapped and that there was no way out. And Ron and Harry were ignoring me because Ron thought that Crookshanks had murdered Scabbers and Harry was ignoring me because he was annoyed with me that I had asked Professor McGonagall to inspect his firebolt when Sirius Black gave it to him. I just felt so, _alone_? You know? Have you ever felt like that? Like you're all alone in a deep dark pit, and, when you see a glimpse of the sunlight, you try and climb up the pit, but you always end up slipping and falling deeper than before. So after a while, you just stop trying. You stop trying because, you know, deep down in your heart, where no one can see, you _know _that it won't get better. That was how I felt." I looked back at Draco to try and see how he was handling it, but he was looking down. I paused to take a breath before continuing.

"And one day, while I was rushing to put my books away, I accidentally cut myself on one of my spare pieces of parchment and after I got over the shock and the initial pain, I had felt more...free than I had felt in the entire _year_. And I just continued to do it whenever I was under a load of stress or when I felt like I was unwanted, or that I didn't have a purpose. And that was quite a lot." I finished quietly. I looked back at Draco and saw that he was expressionless. We sat in silence for a long time before Draco finally started asking me questions again.

"When did you stop?" he asked. I sat quietly for a minute, trying to think when _was _the last time that I had cut. Then I remembered.

"I stopped when we started hunting for horcruxes. When we were looking for them, I felt wanted, useful, _needed_. It was the most alive I had felt in months." I told him. He took a deep breath at this revelation before he asked another question.

"Why?" it was a simple question, but out of all of the questions that had been exchanged that night, that one had the most complex answer. I took a deep breath before I began to explain.

"Honestly it was because I needed an escape. I know that sounds so cliche, but, that was truly the reason why I did it. Whenever I just felt the quill against my skin and the blood ooze out of my body, I felt, just so, blissfully _unaware _of everything that was going on. Like all of the bad things that were going on were just some silly rumors and that I was in my own little utopia up in the clouds. Where everything was perfect. I know that Harry had to deal with a lot of things at the time, but sometimes I wonder how many people wondered about how it affected Ron and I." I finished, looking down at my feet. As I finished, I felt strange. Like someone had drawn poison from a wound that I had been carrying for years, and suddenly, everything was fine. It was as if the wound had never existed anymore. And it felt amazing.

"Hermione?" Draco asked me. I snapped my head up and saw that Draco was staring at me, his eyes filled with tears.

"I promise that I'll be there for you. I don't _ever _want you to go back to that place ever again." he promised to me sincerely. I was so touched, I had never told anyone what I had just told Draco because I was afraid that they would look at me with disgust or with disappointment. Draco hadn't done that at all. He just looked like he just wanted to accept me and, maybe even, _love _me.

"Thank you Draco. But that was years ago. I've never been back there since I was 17, and I don't plan on going back ever." I told him, taking his hand and giving him a gentle squeeze. He looked back up at me and squeezed my hand back. We sat there for a little while, just staring at each other, and being content in one another's company. After about a minute, the waiter came back and gave us the check. Before I could even make a motion for it, Draco had quickly snatched it up and payed for the whole thing!_That _was something I didn't expect him to do. Once we were done, he took my hand as we walked out of the bookstore.

* * *

When we walked out of the bookstore, I felt the cool breeze brush against my face and revive my senses. It felt so good to be out in the streets again. I made a mental note to myself to make it a point to go out more. Draco and I linked arms as we strolled down the street, pointing out things that we thought looked nice or things that we thought looked a little stupid. As we were walking, I felt something with Draco that I hadn't felt for a long time, not something since Ron died.

I felt at peace.

I looked up at Draco and for the first time in a long time, I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could be happy with him.

"Hermione?" he asked me, jerking myself out of my thoughts.

"Yes Draco?" I answered him softly. He slowed us down until we eventually came to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Are you tired?" I was shocked at this question, I thought that he was going to ask me more questions about the cutting or something. I shook my head. What was he playing at?

"Well, I was wondering, if you wanted to go somewhere." he asked shyly, rubbing his hand up and down the back of his neck.

"Well, it depends, where is this place?" I asked curiously, Draco's face lit up with a sly smile as he answered.

"It's a surprise, but I know you'll like it."

"How do you know I'll like it?" I asked him. He just chuckled before he answered.

"Trust me. You'll love it." he said as he extended his hand forward.

"Come on, trust me." he said gently. I looked from his hand to his face, his eyes were filled with genuine excitement and a bit of mischief if I wasn't mistaken.

"I swear if you take me to some dark and twisty place, I will hex the pants of you Draco Malfoy." I swore to him as I took his hand and we disapparated.

* * *

When I felt my feet touch the floor, I felt a pair of hands cover my eyes. I felt panic begin to rise in my throat. I was always scared when I didn't know where I was or if I didn't have a plan ever since I was little. Horcrux hunting wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do for me.

"Draco! Show me where we are!" I demanded. I heard him chuckle before he lifted his hands. I looked around me and felt my heart begin to race. It wasn't possible. There was _no way _that Draco had taken me _here_.

"Welcome to la ville de l'amour mon cherie." he whispered in my ear. I felt my breath catch in my throat as I choked out.

"The city of love."

* * *

**Ta da! I hope you liked it! I was supposed to write what happens in Paris in this chapter, but I just started to write and write about Hermione so much that I realized that this chapter was getting ****_really _****long. :P Tell me what you think in the reviews! I'll try and get the Paris chapter up as soon as I can. :D Love you all so much! And I'm really sorry that it took me forever to have to update this, review please! :D **


	10. Chapter 9

**Hello all! I'm back! Again, REALLY sorry about getting this up really late. School's been kicking my butt and so have all my ECA's etc. But I've finally gotten it! It didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it, but I still like it :) Here you go!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters**

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**Chapter 9**

I couldn't believe it! I was in Paris! Paris! I had never been to Paris, I had always promised myself that I would go, but because of Ron and work, I had just never been able to. And here I was! In Paris! I looked around me and made myself commit this view to memory. Everything was perfect. The sights, the sounds, the smell, even the way the people were _positioned _made me feel like I had just walked into a romantic comedy!

"I told you you'd love it." Draco whispered in my ear. I whirled around and found him smiling at me. I jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you Draco." I whispered quietly. I felt him nod as I pulled away and took his hand. I looked around again, trying to absorb more and more detail. It was around 10:30 and the city was just starting to go dark. Some shops were closing their doors and blocking their windows and more and more people were heading back to their apartments and houses. But there were still couples that were holding hands and were just strolling casually around. I looked at the buildings and tried to commit how beautiful the architecture was to memory. It looked like it was from the 14th century! It was as if time had stood still in this place. Like I had gone back to a time where men were gentlemen and women were treated as ladies.

"This is so beautiful." I murmured quietly as I continued looking. I couldn't even _begin _to process what was happening and where I was right now. My mind was just blank.

"Come with me love, I've got something I want you to see." Draco whispered quietly as he tugged on my hand. I gave the city one last look before following him.

* * *

Draco and I had walked for about 30 minutes until all of sudden, Draco stopped walking. I looked around us; we were in a secluded park at about 11:00pm. No one was around.

"Draco? Why have we stopped?" I asked him curiously. He turned around to face me and gave me a mischievous glance before he answered.

"Well love, this is the part where you're going to have to trust me." he said, throwing in a wink once he was done. I raised my eyebrows. What was this boy up to now?

"Come on, trust me. I won't let you get hurt. I promise." he said. He moved behind me and pressed his lips close to my ear.

"Close your eyes love." he whispered, sending shivers down my back. I took a deep breath and nodded and closed my eyes. I felt Draco smile when all of a sudden, I felt a sensation in my stomach and I felt wind whipping my face.

* * *

All of a sudden, I felt my feet touching solid ground. I felt myself stumble a little bit, but Draco caught me.

"Now, open your eyes love." he whispered. I opened my eyes and couldn't believe where I was.

I was standing on the Eiffel Tower.

The view from the tower was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I could see miles and miles away and all the buildings had their lights on. It reminded me of Christmas a little, seeing all of the lit houses. I felt the breeze whipping my face gently as I leaned against the railing and just stared out into the distance. It felt like I was in that position for hours, just taking in the beauty of this city at night. It was like I had just stepped into a fairytale story and I had become the princess.

"And am I the prince in that story love?" Draco asked all of sudden, moving in behind me, whispering in my ear. I blushed, not realizing that I had said that out loud.

"Why, yes you are my good sir." I told him with an Elizabethan accent. Then we just laughed together. When we were done, Draco used his hands to lift my chin up so that I was looking at him directly.

"There's something I have to tell you Hermione." he told me, his beautiful grey eyes glittering.

"What is it Draco?" I asked, curious as to what else this man had in store for me this evening. He took a deep breath and after what seemed like hours, he finally said

"I love you."

I couldn't believe it. Draco Malfoy _loved _me? How was that even possible? I couldn't even _begin _to process how this was actually real life.

"I know that this is a huge thing for you to take in, so allow me to explain why and how I love you." he told me formally. I felt my head nod as Draco took a deep breath before he began to explain.

"I've loved you ever since we were at school. When I saw you outside of the Great Hall during our 1st year at Hogwarts, I felt something that I had never felt in my life. I felt, _fireworks. _So as we walked in, I hoped and hoped that you would be in Slytherin so that I could befriend you and we would be inseparable." he paused for a moment as he continued.

"When you were sorted into Gryffindor, I felt a part of my heart getting crushed, knowing that we wouldn't see each other as often as I would've liked. But I tried not to let that dampen my spirits, and convinced myself that we could still be friends, but it would just be a little harder. But then, I discovered that you were a muggle-born. I realized then that we could never be friends. So I just did what my father told me I should do. Tell myself that I'm better than everyone else was scum." I heard Draco spit out the last few words as if they were poison.

"But as I got older, I realized that I didn't _have _to listen to what my father said and that I could make up my _own _decisions on how I viewed and judged people. So I tried to talk to you more, I would always have this speech in mind, but whenever I would see you alone, it was as if my courage would just run for the hills and never return. So after about a year or so, I gave up on ever trying to make contact with you besides the insults we would throw at each other in class, and over the course of the year, I felt my feelings for you begin to fade." I looked at Draco and saw that was hanging his head in shame, unable to look at me.

"But when I saw you pining after Ron, I felt the feelings come back to me, with a ferocity and a passion that I had never known before. I had never felt it with that kind of intensity when I was dating Pansy or Astoria. But the grudge had been set, wars had been fought and blood had been shed and I was already a death eater by then. There was nothing I could do." he said, his voice cracking. Then all of a sudden, he looked up at me.

"But now I'm free from my father's law, free from The Dark Lord's law and I can do what I please and love whom I want. So know, I am telling you, I, Draco Malfoy, love you, Hermione Granger Malfoy." he finished with a grand bow. When he stood up from his bow, I didn't know what to say. I couldn't believe it, _Draco Malfoy loved me!_"Please say something Hermione?" Draco asked me, after what seemed like hours of silence. As I pondered over what Draco had just told me, I realized something. I realized that even though I would always love Ron, I couldn't dwell on him and stop myself from falling in love with anyone else just because he was gone. I realized something.

I was in love with Draco Malfoy.

I took a deep breath before finally saying

"I love you too." Draco sighed in relief. Then all of a sudden, I felt myself walk over to him, lift his chin up so that he was looking directly in my eyes as I pressed my lips to his. I felt Draco tense up with shock because of what I had done, but I didn't care. My feelings for this man that I had kept to myself were finally being released.

And I didn't regret a single bit of it.

After Draco got over the initial shock, I felt him kissing me back with a ferocity that I had never known in my life. Not even with Ron. I felt him lick my lips as a gesture for permission, I eagerly complied and opened my mouth as he slipped his tongue into mine. As he did this, I curled my fingers in his hair to keep myself steady so that I wouldn't fall down from the intensity. When I did this, I felt Draco moan as he pressed his hand to the small of my back, bringing me closer to him. After what felt like hours of doing this, I finally pulled away from his lips as he began to kiss my neck.

"Draco, we have a comfortable bed in an apartment for this." I whispered breathlessly as he moved his kisses from my neck back to my lips.

"Of course." he whispered quietly as he quickly disapparated us back to the apartment.

* * *

As soon as my feet hit the floor of the apartment, I felt Draco begin to kiss me again as we stumbled towards the bedroom. When we reached the doorframe, I began to tense up.

"What's wrong love?" Draco whispered to me as he continued to kiss me. I took a deep breath before I whispered to him

"I've never done this before." I admitted to him, looking down. Draco stopped kissing me and put his hands on my chin and lifted it up so that I was staring at him directly in the eye.

"Don't worry, I'll be gentle. I won't let you get hurt. We'll go slow. I promise." he told me sincerely.

"OK." I told him as he nodded and we picked up where we left off.

* * *

**And that's the end! That's really how I wanted to this chapter even when I had just started this story, but I knew that I wasn't going to write any smut :P I can't. I hope you liked it! Again, this wasn't really how I wanted it to turn out, but this one kinda wrote itself in a way if that makes any sense :P Tell me what you think in the reviews! **


	11. Chapter 10

**Hello lovelies! I'm SO SO sorry that it took me this long to update this! It's just that school and a lot of other things got in the way and not to mention I had SERIOUS writer's block for this one chapter! But I finally got it! This chapter isn't as long as I had wanted to be honest, but honestly, at this point, I just wanted to get this chapter out because I felt so bad for neglecting it for the longest time. I don't know when I'll be able to get the next chapter up since I'm really busy this holiday season but I will do my best to try and get _something _up. I'm really sorry again for leaving this alone for the longest time and thank you to _everyone _that has stayed and followed my story :) Now, onto the chapter! **

* * *

The next morning, I woke up filled with a strange sense of euphoria. I didn't know how to explain it, but I woke up feeling happier and more fulfilled than I had in a long time and I didn't know why. I opened my eyes and saw clothes and shoes strewn all over the bedroom floor. All of a sudden, everything came flooding back to me in incredible detail.

_Hands moving all over while making quick work of shirts. _

_Sweet, sweet kisses placed all over each other, repeatedly. _

Just thinking about what happened sent a shiver down my spine. All of a sudden, I felt an arm draped over me. I gently turned around and saw Draco snoring softly next to me, his chest rising up and down gently. I propped myself up on my elbow next to him and for what felt like the longest time, I stared at him. I made sure to commit every single detail of his body to my memory; the angular line of his jaw, the structure of his shoulders; everything. After, I made sure that he was asleep, then I gently ran my hand down his chest. I started at his neck, then I slowly made my way down. All of a sudden, a hand suddenly grabbed my wrist and stopped me.

"That tickles" Draco murmured breathily. I chuckled as he relaxed his grip and I moved closer to him.

"How're you feeling?" he asked me quietly.

"I don't know. There are so many things running through my mind right now I can't really pinpoint _one _feeling." I whispered in his ear.

"Well, I feel pretty damn good to be honest." Draco told me. I laughed, how could he be so calm after what had just happened between the two of us, after what I had just _done_?

"Well I'm glad that you can be calm and have coherent thoughts." I retorted. Draco laughed at me then pulled me closer.

"Oh trust me, I am not calm, and I am _certainly _not coherent." he whispered in my ear. I felt a shiver run down my spine.

"I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one." I said breathily. Draco laughed at me again, noticing that his voice had a _very _powerful effect on me.

"It's just, I _never _imagined that something could feel so..._good_." I admitted sheepishly. I looked at Draco, expecting him to make some kind of snide remark or comment, but he didn't say anything; he just kept looking at me, as if he were trying to study me like I was a rare species of bird.

"I mean, I had been kissed before, but none of it ever felt _right_, you know? I feel like-" I took a deep breath; after I said this, there was no going back.

"Like what love?" Draco asked me, with a slight hint of concern in his voice.

"Like I was waiting for last night my entire life." I told him softly, looking down. There it was, how I truly felt, out in the open. I couldn't take that back anymore. There was a moment of silence in the room; I felt myself growing nervous; should I not have said that? Did he feel the same way? Should I have just kept my mouth shut? I opened my mouth to say something else, but just when I did, I felt Draco press his lips to mine. I stiffened at first, but after I got over the initial shock, I began to kiss him back, and as I did, memories from last night resurfaced in my mind; fresh and sharp like a brand new quill. After a moment, Draco pulled away and began to whisper in my ear.

"Oh Hermione, I've been waiting for last night for my entire life too." he pulled back and looked me straight in the eye. I could tell that he was completely sincere. I felt a warm glow spread in my body as I began to kiss him. As he began to kiss me back, I felt him use one hand to roam my body and the other to pull the sheets back over our heads, and as he did, a small part of my mind was able to squeeze one thought out before it became consumed with "Draco"

"I could get used to this."

* * *

**I hope you liked it! I'm really sorry about the length, but I just wanted to get this chapter out. I will try and make the next chapter better. I have a pretty good idea for it too :) Please review (and please be kind!) **


	12. Chapter 11

**Hey everyone! :D I know this is really late, but happy new year and advanced happy valentine's day! :D This chapter is a lot more description and since I'm not really good at that, it won't be as good, but hopefully the next chapter will be better since the next one will have a bit more dialogue. I'm sorry if this chapter is really bad, but I've been away from it for so long that I've kinda forgotten how to do this :P Anyways, here is the next chapter! **

**Warning! This chapter is slightly more angst-y than the others**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. If I did, a new story would be coming out this year and last year and the year before that etc.**

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1 year had passed since Draco and I had gotten married, and in that time, it had felt like everything in my life had just fallen into place. I had become much happier in that time, which had shown in my work and I had been promoted to the head of the Department for the Control and Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and Draco had been moved to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement with Harry, and surpringsly enough, they had actually managed to become friends. My suspicion was that being married to me had helped him become more accepting of people that weren't "pure-blooded", in fact, he never even used that term since our first night together, and actually, the two of us had discovered that we had actually quite a lot of things in common besides our love of Shakespeare. We both had a love for musicals like Les Miserables, Chicago and Wicked, and we also had ambitions that we wanted to pursue when we were still in school; I wanted to be a writer, and he wanted to help be in the wizarding entertainment industry, but we both knew that it was incredibly difficult to get into these careers, so we both just went for the next best option, which was to work for the Ministry. Our 1st year together had been complete and utter bliss.

I should've known that it was too good to last.

* * *

I had come home from work early and was working to set up what was to be another one of our "romantic night" together. We had decided that we both had very stable jobs and a good house and that we were ready to start trying for children. I mean, re-population was the whole point of Operation Rebirth after all. But this particular night, I had some pretty big news for him.

As I started to prepare the lights in our bedroom, I got a call from Ginny, which was a bit shocking to me. She had given birth to her and Harry's first child; James Sirius Potter. Draco and I had been to visit them a few times, but of course, it was their first child, so they were always incredibly busy.

"Hermione? Are you there?" she she asked me frantically. I knitted my eyebrows in confusion; had something happened?

"Hey Ginny! What's up? Is something wrong? You sound really worried about something." Ginny took a deep breath before she asked the question that would turn my life around.

"Do you know where Draco is?"

I felt my heart begin to grow cold. Had something happened to him? Was he alright? my mind started to race with different kinds of worse case scenarios; each one being worse than the last. Draco lying somewhere, in the dark, bleeding, all alone.

"Why? Is there something wrong? Is he hurt? Is he ok?" the questions just couldn't come out of my mouth fast enough.

"He's..." Ginny took a deep breath before speaking. I felt stomach winding tighter and tighter as I waited, the nerves threatening to overthrow my sense of reason.

"He's in Diagon Alley. Between Flourish and Blotts and Florean Fortescue's." she paused for a moment, then finally said.

"I'm so sorry." then I heard the line go dead. I felt myself fall back down onto the bed in our room.

I don't know how long I sat there. It felt like time had just stood still while I was sitting there. I couldn't even follow one coherent thread of thought in my mind; I would try and follow one, then I would just keep jumping from thought to thought to the point where I didn't even understand where I had started. After what had felt like I had spent the entire night just thinking; my nerves got the best of me and I ran to my closet to change outfit and quickly disapparated to Diagon Alley.

* * *

As soon as I felt my feet hit the pavement, I began to run faster than I had ever run before. When I finally reached Flourish and Blotts, I saw him; looking as handsome as ever. When I saw him, I felt the nerves in my heart start to slowly disappear. I started to approach him, but all of a sudden, I heard a noise coming from Florean Fortescue's so I ducked behind a barrel. For a minute, nothing happened, then all of a sudden, I saw a familiar lady stumble out, it took a minute for my eyes to adjust, but then, everything became clear to me.

It was Astoria Greengrass.

Draco's ex-girlfriend and now; apparent friend? I couldn't believe my eyes; ever since Draco and I had gotten together, he would always talk about how much he hated her, how much he _loathed _her, and now, he was standing there, _waiting _for her, holding his arm out for her! I could barely believe my eyes. What was he doing?

"Come _on_ Astoria. I have to get back home soon, Hermione will start to worry." Draco called her quickly.

"Oh come _on_ Draco! Who needs that Herman derp?" Astoria slurred drunkinly at Draco as she stumbled to his arms. Draco quickly caught her in his arms and pulled her back up to him. I saw them murmur something I couldn't catch, and then, I saw the thing that would break my heart beyond repair for a long time.

They kissed each other.

My mind had gone blank. I couldn't even _begin _process what was happening to me. Draco? Kissing...Astoria? This wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible. I looked back down at the cobbled streets and couldn't even bring tears to fall from my eyes. I was in too much shock. I looked back up then saw that they had finished kissing and were walking down the street and had disapparated away.

* * *

**And there you have it! I'll try and get the next chapter up as soon as I can, since I have a week-long break next week, so I'll try to get it up then! Please review! Reviews make me happy :3 **


	13. Chapter 12

**Hey everyone! Here it is! Chapter 12! :D Just to warn you in advance, this chapter contains a few swear words and trigger material. So if you don't like it, you can just skip to the very end and I'll put what happens in the chapter there. :) Anyways, without further ado, here's the new chapter!  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters. **

* * *

**Chapter 12 **

My whole body felt numb and my heart felt hollow. How could he _do _this to me? I thought he _loved _me! I was so stupid to have even believed that we actually _had_ a connection other than just _being married_, and even _that_ didn't mean anything to him, _clearly_. As I sank to the cold floor behind that barrel, I felt the hot tears begin to rush down my cheeks, as I hugged myself and tried not cry too loudly.

I couldn't even begin to comprehend what was happening to me. Draco had cheated on me. Draco had cheated on me with Astoria. Draco had _cheated_. The thoughts just seemed never ending; circling my mind one after another, on a constant roundabout, and each time the circle started again, each one seemed to sting more than the last.

I tried to come up with different reasons of why this couldn't be true, but each time, I would just remind myself of what I had seen; the two of them kissing each other.

I don't know how long I sat there, I wasn't really keeping track to be honest, time just seemed to stand still while I sat behind that barrel. I didn't know where to start, did I go home? Did I stay there? Should I go talk to someone? Ginny? Harry? At that thought of Harry, my mind remembered one person that I knew would never fail me.

Ron

As soon as his name entered my mind, new tears began to spring up inside my eyes. I thought of how Ron would never do something like that to me, how he would never look twice at another woman. How I wanted to see him again, to just talk to him, how I _needed_ him, but I couldn't see him again, and I couldn't talk to him. As I thought about him, I thought about what he would be telling me at that moment. He'd probably be saying something along the lines of

"Go and get that bastard Hermione! You should show him what you're made of and that you won't settle for less than what you deserve since you deserve so much more than just some ferret-faced loser that thinks that he can just have you as a backup. You're worth so much more than backup."

You're worth so much more than a backup.

As I played that line over and over in my head, I started to collect myself. My tears started to dry and my legs and arms gained feeling again. Slowly, but surely, I began to stand up and collect my thoughts until finally, I was standing up straight. I took a deep breath and as I walked back down the road I arrived on, I disapparated to the place that I knew I had to go to, whether I liked it or not.

Home

* * *

As soon as my feet hit the ground, I looked around the apartment and thanked my lucky stars that Draco wasn't home yet. I quickly ran around, fixing everything up so that it would the way it did right before Draco moved in. Just as I finished cleaning our-no, _my_ room, I heard a click and the opening of a door.

Draco was here.

I took a deep breath and shoved a few things under my bed and headed out of the living room. Just as I got there, Draco was stepping inside and removing his coat. A part of me wanted to just hold him and love him for the rest of our lives, but I knew that I couldn't let myself do that. I had to do it.

"Hi love, sorry I'm late. I was really busy at work today." Draco greeted me cheerily. He immediately went to the kitchen and began to fix himself a cup of tea. As he was fixing it, I muttered a single word under my breath to draw his attention.

"Reducto"

At that moment, Draco's mug shattered into his pieces and his tea spilled on the floor. He whirled around to face me and began to walk up to me, with anger, shock, confusion all in some part of his face.

"What the hell was that for?" he asked me angrily. This was it. This was were it all began.

"As if you don't know." I scoffed at him, as I turned around and began to march towards my bedroom, but all of a sudden, I felt something grab me and turn me around.

"Well, if I _did _know, then I wouldn't be so angry now _would _I?" he asked sarcastically. I couldn't believe this! He was playing dumb? I should've known that I could never have trusted him.

"Hermione, talk to me, what's going on love?" he asked me softly, brushing his hand up against my face. I flinched as he touched me and pulled away.

"Don't you _ever _call me love, you no-good, backstabing, cheating ferret-faced asshole!" I shouted at him. At that comment, his hands fell to his sides and his face was completely covered with shock and hurt.

"What?" he asked me softly.

"You know _exactly _what I'm talking about Draco. Don't pretend it didn't happen." I spat at him.

"I saw you with Astoria tonight at Diagon Alley. You-you _kissed _her." I whispered. It was the first time I had ever said it out loud, and as I did, all the pain and hurt and anguish in Diagon Alley came rushing back to me that I physically stumbled, but I couldn't seem too broken up about it, I had to be strong. I pushed the feelings away and I continued to speak.

"I don't want to see you in my house ever again Draco Malfoy. Get out." I finally uttered the words that I had been meaning to say all night. There was a deathly silence in the house, the tension was so thick that you couldn't have cut it with a knife. After a long, long pause, Draco opened his mouth and began to speak.

"Hermione, listen to me. It wasn't what it looked like." he began. At that moment, I lost myself and nearly screamed.

"'Wasn't what it looked like?!' don't be stupid Draco I saw _exactly _what happened. You _kissed _Astoria! You cheated on me. I saw it with my own eyes!"

"I didn't kiss Astoria! She kissed me!" he finally shouted at me. I paused at that, what did he mean _'she kissed him'_?

"Look, Astoria and I work together, and there was a big party for the whole department, so we all went to the Leaky Cauldron for some drinks. Astoria however, being Astoria, had way too much and started coming up to me and kept talking to me. I tried to push her away but she kept coming after me, but then when I disapparated to Florean's, I hadn't realised that she had grabbed my arm and went with me. She insisted that I wait for her while she went to get an ice cream then she went inside. I didn't want to stay there, but I didn't want to leave her all alone in case she might do something incredibly stupid. Then she walked out of the parlour, and kissed me! But I swear, as soon as I she did it, I pushed her away!" at this, he paused and took my hand again. Could it be true? Could this have been how it had really happened and I had just missed something?

"I would _never _cheat on you Hermione. I love you." he muttered slowly as he began to kiss my neck. As he did, I slowly felt my nerves and anxieties begin to go away. As he did, he muttered something, and all of a sudden, my eyelids started to become very heavy. Then I realised what he had said.

It was a sleeping hex.

I bolted from his arms and quickly muttered the counter-curse before I dropped on the floor lik a doornail.

"Hermione what was that for?" he exclaimed.

"Trying to put me to sleep huh? So you can go back and see your _precious _Astoria again?" I spat at him. I knew it, he didn't love me anymore, he probably _never _did.

"Well don't worry, it won't be a problem for you. You can go and move in with her tonight." I told him as I disapparated to our bedroom and back to the living room, but this time, I held a suitcase in my hand. When I got back, I dropped the suitcase at his feet.

This was it. I was really kicking him out.

"Get out of my house Draco Malfoy, pure-blood extraordinaire. Run back to your pure-blood girlfriend and love her. I'm sorry that me being a mudblood has made uncomfortable, but I assure you it won't be a problem anymore." I scoffed at him.

"Hermione, please don't kick me out. Please, we can work this out. Please, just let me stay." he begged me, getting down on his knees, with his gorgeous grey eyes shining with tears. A part of me wanted to just hug him and promise him that we would stay together until we died, but I couldn't. I had to do it.

"Get out. Now." I finally muttered at him. Draco sighed as he took the suitcase and turned around and walked to the door to get his coat. As he turned around, he tipped his hat off to me and said

"Goodbye 'Mione. I love you." then he was gone.

An eerie silence filled the apartment. I had really done it. I had kicked Draco out. He was gone. Just at that moment, when I knew I was truly and finally alone, I broke down.

He had used nearly the exact same words that Ron had said to me as he lay on his bed, his life running away from him. The _same words_. Was it a sign? Had I lost two loves forever? I felt tears and screams rising in my chest and I knew that if I tried to suppress them that I would die.

So I didn't.

I just let them out, the tears, the moans, the shouts; everything. I felt my legs give way as I crumpled on the floor and curled into a ball and just cried and cried until I couldn't cry anymore and was just left there, hugging myself. And yet, after all that time, I still didn't feel the release that I was looking for. So I dragged myself up of the floor and disapparated to the bedroom. I was planning on doing something that I hadn't done in a long time.

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When I got to the bedroom, I quickly ran to the dresser and dug at the bottom of my clothes and picked up something that I thought that I would never use again.

A shard of glass.

I carefully lifted it out of the drawer, so as to not break it and walked to the bathroom. I stepped over the sink and shoved my sleeves up. I could still see the scars from all those years ago. I sighed and ran my hand over them, remembering what if felt like, remembering the pain of the things that drove me to doing what I did. As I remembered the pain, I remembered what Draco had done to me. A new wave of anguish filled me as I brought the glass to my skin. I shuddered as I felt the blood slowly rush out and felt the release I had been looking for all night. I sighed and quickly charmed the glass to look clean and cleaned my arm and the sink. I walked back into the bedroom and stuffed the glass where I had found it, changed, and got into bed. I turned off the light and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I fell into a dreamless sleep.

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**So that's the end! :D For those of you who didn't want to read all the gory details, what basically happens is that Hermione kicks Draco out and then she starts to cut again. :( Poor Hermione. Anyways, I don't know when I'll get the next chapter up soon, but I'll try not to leave it alone for too long. Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with this story! I hope that you like it so far! Please review! Reviews make me very happy! :D **


	14. Chapter 13

**Hey guys! I'm SO sorry I left it for this long even AFTER I told you guys that I would try not too! I'm so sorry! It's just that things are super hectic at school and at church that it's been a while for me to actually sit down and write it. Not to mention I was a little drained for ideas. But anyways, thank you all SO much for sticking with this story, and I apologize for how short this chapter is, but I PROMISE that the next chapter is going to be longer. **

**Without further ado, enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter or the characters.**

**PS. I actually changed it in Chapter 11 so that the incident with Draco and Astoria _actually _happened on their first year anniversary. **

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**Chapter 13 **

Pain.

That was the first thing that came to my mind when I woke up. Complete, unadulterated pain. Everywhere. My head, my legs but there were 2 particular parts of my body that felt like they were on fire.

My arm and my heart.

The one I looked to first, was the pain in my arm. I slowly fluttered my eyes open and saw that the wound still looked fresh. I sighed. I couldn't believe what I had done. It had been 8 years since I had last cut myself, and I couldn't believe that I had done it once more. I felt a wave of disappointment surge through me. After all this time, I had lost my reserve. I felt tears slowly start to stream down my face, as I lay on my bed; feeling the shame of what I had done hit me fully. After what seemed like hours, I checked the clock on my bedside table; it read 12:30pm. I knew that I should get up and have something to eat, but I couldn't find any strength in me anymore. Draco had done, in one night, what years of torment, months of hard camping, torture had ever failed to do.

He broke me.

He had broke my reserve. He broke my strength, and the worst thing?

He broke my heart.

That pain was the pain that was even worse, something I knew that no simple spell could fix. I had given myself to Draco completely; he knew everything about me; my hopes, my dreams, my flaws, my plans, my body...

That thought brought back a hundred memories of our first night together. It seemed like a lifetime away. Everything was perfect; as if Draco and I were made for each other. I couldn't believe that now, I would never be able to hold him again, never be able to touch and kiss him again, never hear his comforting words when I was nervous about work.

That's when the tears _really _started to flow.

I cried and cried and cried until well into the afternoon. I sobbed until I had no more tears left inside me and when I felt like the exhaustion would just overcome me. I looked up at the clock once more and saw that it was 3:00 in the afternoon. I looked at the picture of my parent's on the nightstand...

I realised how much I had missed them over the first year of my marriage. There were so many milestones that I never got to share with them; Draco and I getting married, our first night, my promotions, Draco's promotions. I thought about what they would say, and how they would react to what had happened to me.

Then it hit me.

A surge of adrenaline flooded my veins as I jumped out of bed and ran to the telephone, not minding the frantic pain in my arm and in my head. I quickly picked up the phone, and dialled a number that I knew from memory and knew that someone would answer.

"Hello?"

"Ginny?"

"Hermione?"

"I'm not going to be at work for a while, someone will have to cover for me."

"What're you talking about?"

I took a deep breath before I finally told her my plan.

"I'm going to Australia. To find my parents."

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**Review please! **


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